Paid leave in Japan

ten days after six months, and five of them you must actually take

Paid annual leave is one of the few parts of Japanese employment that is a statutory entitlement, with a fixed accrual schedule. The difficulty has never been the entitlement — it is that people did not use it, which is why a minimum-uptake rule was added in 2019.

This page explains the rules. For the numbers — how much leave people actually take — see the benchmark page.

How days accrue

An employee who has worked six months continuously and attended at least 80% of scheduled working days is entitled to 10 days of paid leave. The entitlement then increases with each further year of service, reaching 20 days at six years and six months and staying there.

Part-time employees accrue on a proportional schedule based on their contracted days per week. Leave is granted on top of public holidays, which are separate and not deducted from it.

The five-day rule, in force since April 2019

Where an employee is granted 10 or more days in a year, the employer must ensure that at least five of them are actually taken within twelve months, designating dates after consulting the employee if necessary. The obligation sits on the employer, not the employee, and carries a penalty.

This is why many Japanese employers now schedule leave centrally — company-wide shutdown days, or a calendar of assigned dates — rather than waiting for requests.

Timing, refusal, and expiry

An employee chooses when to take leave and does not have to give a reason. The employer may move the dates only under a narrow right of change, where the requested timing would genuinely disrupt normal business operations — inconvenience alone is not enough.

Unused days carry over for one year and then expire, so the practical maximum balance is two years' worth (40 days for a full-time employee at the top of the schedule). There is no statutory obligation to buy out unused leave on resignation, though some employers do.

Common questions

How much paid leave do employees get in Japan?

Ten days after six months of continuous service with at least 80% attendance, rising with each further year to 20 days at six years and six months. Part-time employees accrue proportionally.

Is Japan's five-day paid leave rule mandatory?

Yes. Since April 2019, where an employee is granted 10 or more days, the employer must ensure at least five are actually taken within twelve months, designating dates if necessary. The obligation sits on the employer and carries a penalty.

Can a Japanese employer refuse a leave request?

Only by moving the dates, under a narrow right of change available where the requested timing would genuinely disrupt normal business operations. Inconvenience alone is not enough, and no reason need be given for the request.

Does unused paid leave expire in Japan?

Yes. Unused days carry over for one year and then expire, so the practical maximum balance is two years' worth.

Before you rely on this

This is a summary, not legal advice. Japanese employment law changes, and several of the rules above were phased in on different dates for large and small employers. Check the current text, or take advice, before acting on it.
Work rules matter as much as statute. Bonuses and retirement payouts are set by the employer's own rules, so two employers in the same industry can differ enormously while both complying fully with the law.

Other guides

Bonuses ・ Retirement lump sums ・ Graduate hiring ・ Paid leave ・ Overtime ・ Parental leave ・ Women in management ・ Reading salary figures ・ Contracts and dismissal ・ Annual securities reports ・ all guides.

Sources: Labour Standards Act, Article 39 (Act No. 49 of 1947). Summarised by Corpus; not provided or endorsed by any government agency. The figures behind the linked benchmark pages come from Japanese government statistics and company disclosure — see all benchmarks.